Switch TV online to free up mobile spectrum, say Lords

31/07/2012

TV should be switched online to free up more bandwidth for mobile operators in the UK, a House of Lords committee has suggested.

It has argued that the rise of IPTV broadcasting has created an opportunity for a quantum shift in the way TV services are delivered and can help Britain close the gap on countries with better broadband provision.

The report said: "This may well be a more sensible arrangement, as spectrum is perfectly suited to mobile applications."

However, lead analyst for regulatory telecoms at consultancy service Ovum Matthew Howett said the report "fails to make almost any mention of how mobile might contribute to bringing broadband to all areas of the UK".

The extension of new mobile services in the UK may depend on the swift deployment of the new 4G network, for which Ofcom is seeking a fourth bidder aside from O2, Vodafone and Everything Everywhere.

Computing.co.uk reported this week that it had received an indication from BT that it will bid.